Chute and controlling mechanism therefor for elevators, bins, and the like.



. PATENTED DEC. 31, 190?.

R. A. OGLE.

GHUTE AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR FOR ELEVATQRS, BINS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1907.

lllllllllllllllliiii 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0. 8'75,283. PATEW TED DEC. 31, 1907.

R. A. OGLE.

GHUTE AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR FOR ELEVATORS,

BINS, AND THE LIKE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 15, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I unrr-En sTATEs PATENT Fm;

ROBERT A. oeLn oF CHICAGO, ILLiNoIs.

'enu'rs Ann CONTROLLING mnomnrsm Tnie'nnron son ELEVATORS, BINS, AND rm:

. v, v v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. OGLE, a

" citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chutes and Controlling Mechanism Therefor for Elevators, lBins, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.- Myinvention relates to improvements in chutes and controlling mechanism therefor, used in connection with elevators, bins, or the like, for directing and regulatin the discharge from the bin or elevator,'o its contents. I 1

One of my objects is to provide improve ments in the mechanism for controlling the discharge of the contents of the elevator or bin, to the end of rendering its operation less difiicult, more reliable and more effective and other objects are to provide other im discharging position and thegate for 0011-.

trolling the discharge of the bin-contents is closed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional elevation taken longitudinally through the chute, gate and apron, with these parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, the view showing the floor of'the bin in section. Fig. 3 is a view like that illustrated in Fig. 1, with the parts of the apparatus in the positions they assume when the apron is turned to discharging position and the gate is raised for allowing the bin-contents to discharge through the apron. Fig. 4 is a view like that shown in Fi 2, the section being taken through the c ute and gate, with these parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of ,one cornerportion of the chute, showing the apron-su porting shaft and its connection with t e Application filed iu uala. 1907. sum it. 888.861.

as applied to a bin for receiving coal to be disc arged, when required, through a swing- -in apron intoa coal car (not shown) or ot er receiver. The bin 7, of which but a small portion only is shown, has a dischar eo ening 8 in one side thereof, through'which tl ie inclined bottom 9 of the bin extends.

ends, is fastened in the opening 8 an rests on the protruding bottom 9. Depending from opposite sides of a plate 11 fastened to the chute-bottom, are lugs 12 each having an elongated slot 13 extending longitudinally An inclined chute 10, open atits opipositeof the chute 10.- A head or block 14 is journaled at its reduced opposite ends 15, 16, in a posltion intermediate the sides of the chute,

in o enirigs '17, 18- rovided respectively, in

=the ottom plate 0 the chute and a trussframe 19 fastened to its bottom late. A shaft 29 extending transversely o the chute passes through this head and projects through and beyond the slots 13 in the lugs 12, the shaft being provided with a roller 21 on each end to engage the walls of these slots, and thus permit the shaft to be readily moved in the slots. The shaft is reinforced by means of a bar 22, preferably of angleiron as shown, -fastene between its ends to the block and having flanges 23 through which the shaft extends. A swinging chute section, or apron, 24, open at its top, is pivoted near one end near its bottom, to the chute 10 on the ends of the shaft 20 beyond the rollers 21, thus enabling the a ron to be swung up and down and oscillate sidewise, relative to the chute, to position the discharge-opening 2 1 in the hood 25, carried at the end of the apron, as desired.

The outer upper end-portions of the chutesides are forwardly deflected, as represented at 26, and at their extremities is hinged, as represented at 27, a rearwardly-extending swinging overcut-gate 28, to be swung in and out of the chute. This gate is preferably of general triangular shape in longitudinal section, as represented, and comprises two sidemembers 29, 29; an end-plate 30 preferably of the curved shape illustrated, secured to the members 29, 29 and of a width approximating the width of the interior of the chute 10; and a top-plate 31 which projects beyond the side-members 29, 29 and end-plate 30 and serves to entirely close the 0 en top of the chute when the gate. is close this topplate extending over the hinge-connection 27,

discharged through the chute from wedging between the edges of the end-plate and the chute-sides. The chute is closed at its top for a portion of its length by a plate 34 having an upturned flange 35 which serves as a utter, and cooperating with this flange is a %ange 36 on the top-plate 31, which, when the gate is closed, overlaps the flange 35 and prevents access. of rain and moisture to the valve.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the gate on its hinge-connection comprises a lever 37, preferably fulcrumed. at one side of its center, as indicated at 38, on a beam 39 fastened to the wall of the bin, a link 40 connecting the short end of this lever with the upper free end of the gate at an eye 41 thereon, a chain 42 passing over a pulley 43 on the long arm of the lever and fastened at one end to the eye 41 of the gate, and a cable 44, preferably of fiber rope, connected at one end to the free end of the chain 42, and preferably connected at its opposite end to the hood 25. The normal position of the gate is the closed one illustrated inFig. 1, WhlOll it assumes by force of gravity, its weight causing it to turn downward on its hinge-connection.

The apron 24 is connected at its free end with one end of a chain or cable 45 which passes over a pulley 46 and carries on its other end a counter-weight 47 of any suitable construction, whereby the apron may be readily moved up and down at its free end and be caused to remain in any position of adjustment, a handle 48 being provided on the hood 25 for manipulating it.

Assuming the bin to contain coal, or other material, and the parts'of the apparatus to be'in the positions represented in Fig. 1, in which the apron 24 occupies the raised position and the gate 28 is closed, to discharge the bin-contents into the receiver, the apron 24 is manually drawn down at its freeend, and swung laterally, if necessary, to properly position the discharge-opening 24 in the hood over the place at which it is desired to discharge a portion of the bin-contents. The rope- 44 is then manually drawn down by the operator with the result of depressing the longer arm of the lever 37 and raising its shorter arm, thereby swinging the ate upon its pivot 27 and retracting its en late 30' from the chute 10 and allowing the in-contents to pass through the chute and a ron. When the rope 44 is released the weig tof the gate 28 causes its end-plate 30 to cut its way through'the material in the chute and rest on the bottom of the chute and thus stop the assage of the bin-contents into the apron. he weight of the portion of chain 42 between the pulley and the gate 28, when the latter is closed, being longer than the portion on the. other side of the pulley, this chain will run over the pulley and lie along the top-plate 31 and in the chute, as represented in Fig. 1. Thus the rope 44 is drawn to a, position where it will be out of the way and cannot afford obstruction.

By pivoting the gate to swing downwardly through the arc of a circle transversely through the chute, as described, the movement. of the end-plate 30 tends toward the direction of movement of the bin-contents as they move through the chute, and thus the gate may be readily swung to close the chute. Furthermore, by pivoting the gate, as described, the operation of raising it for partially or fully oplening the chute is rendered simple and t e amount of discharge may be positively regulated.

Employment of the lever-mechanism illustrated and described permits the 'gate to be raised by a relatively slight amount of power, and without requiring the use of counter-weights, as the lever is of the compound type, requiring the exertion of but relatively little power on the long arm to raise the short arm and with it the gate. It is manifest that the portions of the lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum may be so proportioned in length as to make it practicable for one man to operate the gate readily, regardless of its size.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-o ening and a chute leading therefrom, of a s aft ivoted to the chute and an apron connecte to the shaft, whereby the a ron may be raised and lowered and moved aterally relative to the chute.

2. t The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a-dischargewpening and a chute leading therefrom provided with guides, of a shaft pivotedat the bottom of the chute and engaging said guides, and an apron connected with "the shaft at'opposite ends thereof, whereby the apron may be raised and lowered and moved laterally relative to the chute.

3. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, havin a discharge-opening and a chute leading t erefrom', and containin elongated guide-openings, of a shaft pivote at the bottom of the chute and extending through said guide-openings, and anapron connected with the shaft beyond said guides, whereby the apron may be raised and lowered and moved laterally relative to the chute.

4. The combination with an elevator,'bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a openings, rollers guide-openings,

chute leading therefrom, of a block pivoted I to the bottom of the chute, a shaft extending through the block and an apron connected with the shaft near its opposite ends, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom containing guide- 0 enings, of ashaft pivoted at the bottom of t e chute and extending through the guideon the shaft adjacent to the and an apron connected with the shaft beyond said guide-openings, for the purpose set forth.

I 6. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom, of a block pivoted to the bottom of the chute, abar secured to the block and extending beyond it at its opposite sides and provided with flanges con taining openings, a shaft extending through the block and openings in the flanges, and an apron-connected with the shaft beyond said flanges.

7. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like,hav1ng a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom, of a truss-frame secured to the under side of the chutebottom, a block pivoted in the chute-bottom and truss-frame, a shaft extending through the block, and an apron connected with the shaft near its opposite ends.

8. The combinationwith anelevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom, provided on its opposite sides with elongated guide-openin'gs, of a truss-frame, a block pivoted in the bottom of the chute and truss-frame, an angle-iron bar secured to the block and extending beyond it at its opposite sides and provided with flanges containing openings, a shaft extending through the block and openings in the flanges, rollerson the shaft adjacent to the elongated guides, and an apron connected with the shaft beyond said guideopenin 's.

9. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom, of means for controllin the passage of the bin-contents throng the chute, comprising an 'overcutgate pivoted to the chute and composed of side-members, an end-plate and a top-plate to the valve-mechanism,

projecting over the pivotal connection and forming a shield for the bearings, forwthe purpose set forth.

10. The combination with an elevator, bin,

' or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom provided with transverse offsets on its inner surface, of means for controlling the passage of the bin-contents through the chute, comprising a gate movable transversely of the chute and cooperating with said offsets, for the purpose set forth. 11. The combination with an elevator, bin, .or the like, having a discharge-opening and valve-mechanism for controlling the discharge of the bin-contents from the bin, of

means for actuating the valve-mechanism;

comprising a lever fulcrumed between its ends, means connecting one end of the lever and a flexible haulin -medium connected at one end to the va ve-mechanism and slidably engaging the opposite end of the lever, for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having adischarge-opening and valve-mechanism for controlling the passage of the bin-contents from the bin, of means for actuating the valve-mechanism, comprising a lever fulcruined between its ends above the valve-mechanism, a link connecting one end of the lever to the valvemechanism, a flexible hauling-medium connected at one end to the valve-mechanism ad'acent to the point ofconnection of said link with the valve-mechanism and slidably engagingthe opposite end of the lever, for

the purpose set forth.

13. The combination with an elevator, bin, or the like, having a discharge-opening and a chute leading therefrom, having a portion of its flange extending along the outer edge of the plate, and a gate for controlling the passage of the bin-contents through the chute, having an end-plate movable past said flange and la top-plate projecting beyond and cooperating with said flange, for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT A. OGLE. In presence of: RALPH SCHAEFER,

W. T. Jonas.

top covered by a plate, of a 

